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Kuldeep of Shangare
“Myths may not satisfy the demands of rationality or science, but they contain profound wisdom - provided one believes they do and is willing to find out what they communicate. Yet myths cannot be translated as they did in their ancient soul. We can only find our own meaning in our own time." -Kuldeep of Shangare History A relic of the Demon Wars, Kuldeep was a powerful Rakshasa in service of Xiloxi Drutreu and a pawn of O'Rangus. He was not present at the battle of Ragnarok, escaping destruction, yet neither was he part of the reserve force that swore service to Sharra. He escaped to Shangare, hiding from a world that wanted him dead. Through guile and gifts, he ingratiated himself in the royal court at Shangare, eventually usurping the throne, and leading his armies to the unite the entire land under his banner. Personality Acquisitive. Kuldeep is fundamentally consumed by greed for all things, and hatred of anything that does not utterly belong to him. He sees his nation and his people as his property, and will never be satisfied with what he has. Despite this, Kuldeep cares for his followers as someone determined to preserve their possessions might, and is capable of generosity and magnanimity. He recognizes the threat that the Great Old Ones pose, and takes it seriously, although his motives for opposing them are rooted in arrogance and hubris, not altruism. Magic Within his domain of Shangare, Kuldeep's magic is potent indeed. He is a master of illusion and mind control, bending lesser creatures to his will and conjuring great horrors. Shangare itself is clouded by a sweet, sickly mist which renders its inhabitants susceptible to enchantment, as well as psychedelic lights and patterns that entrance their viewers. The Emperor is served by mysterious spirits which take the shape of burning monkeys, which spread havoc at his command. Those who do not swear themselves heart and mind to the Emperor are haunted by nightmares which sap them off life until they collapse and eventually die of exhaustion. Traps are commonplace in Shangare, rendered more potent by the Emperor's ability to cloak them from prying eyes. The Devotion "Kuldeep guide us. Kuldeep teach us. Kuldeep protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives are yours." War of the Philosopher-Kings Kuldeep sat out the War of the Philosopher-Kings, preferring to play politics in the court of Shangare and keep and keep a wary eye on the rest of the world. After the War As the War of the Philosopher-Kings drew to a close, Kuldeep was well aware that the Great Old Ones would come, and that their origin would lie in Atlantis. Having been a part of Xiloxi Drutreu's army, he knew much about them. He would take advantage of the chaos to conquer the neighboring nation of Aglazdere, which other monarchs saw as a worthless ruin. Kuldeep knew better, and put time and resources into rebuilding the nation, earning him the loyalty of many of its former power players, including the Black Rose, and former Grand Vizier Annakiya. With the latter's help, he was able to uncover many alchemical secrets, put the Philosopher's Stone into play, and reopen the Laboratory of Varas. Kuldeep would go on to conquer a vast swathe of the Final Empire, bringing him into conflict with Ragnarok and the Deep Ones of Atlantis. King Bolgar was determined to hold on to the Thunderdome, which Kuldeep saw as the final piece to his ascent to power. The Deep Ones too saw the throne as the linchpin to their conquest of the mainland, initiating a three-way war. For the most part, Kuldeep maintained an uneasy truce with Bolgar, who he remembered and feared from the Demon Wars. Yet when Bolgar died, Kuldeep would not be so generous to his successor, turning his full force against the dome's defenders - a risky gambit that might just throw the war to the Deep Ones. Category:Demon Category:Shangare Category:Four Tales Category:Monarchs